SFPL -- Bay Beats Call for Music

[th...@thomblum.com]

Hi all, 

The San Francisco Public Library has a free audio streaming service called "Bay Beats." They've just announced the start of their 2026 call for music (see below). I submitted pieces last year.  They joined lots of other avant/experimental/electronic/etc-garde music and are now available through Library to the public. They even pay you a small honorarium if your pieces are accepted. Here are the details.

Bay Beats - Call for Submissions 

Calling all Bay Area musicians: Do you want to share your music with a new audience? Are you looking to connect with local music fans? 

Look no further! Bay Beats, San Francisco Public Library’s online streaming platform for local music, is accepting submissions. Launched in 2023, Bay Beats offers commercial-free, curated music to the public. Music lovers will be able to stream music on Bay Beats and download albums with an SFPL library card…all for free! 

Submissions: March 1 – May 31 

Bay Beats will accept music submissions from March 1 through May 31, 2026. Musicians currently playing or recording in the Bay Area are encouraged to showcase their music with us. What kinds of music are we looking for? You name it: from Jazz to Soul, Rap to Rock, Western Classical to Indian Classical, Latin to Hip Hop, Country to Avant-Garde, Folk to World, Gospel to Punk, New Age to Noise and everything in between. Bay Beats welcomes and celebrates our diverse local music cultures. 

A diverse panel of musicians and music aficionados will review the submitted tracks and select albums to feature on the site. Because Bay Beats is a growing and evolving collection, there will be additional submission calls in the future. 

Submission guidelines are posted on our website: baybeats.sfpl.org/ 

Honorariums and Publicity 

Musicians chosen for inclusion in Bay Beats will be paid an honorarium of $300, but Bay  Beats does not ask for exclusive rights to music on the site. Rather, we encourage artists to share their music as much as possible. We’ll even post links to artists' websites and sites for purchasing their music and merchandise. 

Bay Beats will be advertised on the Library’s webpage, in SFPL’s patron newsletters and in shoutouts via the Library’s social media accounts (Facebook and 

Instagram). Best of all, over 460,000 SFPL library cardholders will be able to access music via the Bay Beats platform. 

Read more about Bay Beats! 

KQED, “Bay Beats Is Hosting Another Free Concert in Golden Gate Park” (10/15/25)

KQED, “The San Francisco Public Library Wants to Pay Local Musicians” (3/14/25)

SFist, “Musicians: Submit Your Music To SFPL's Streaming Platform, Bay Beats; Plus, Upcoming Free Shows” (3/9/25)

SF Examiner, “Free concert highlights additions to library’s local streamer” (10/16/25)

GOOD Magazine, “San Francisco libraries reveal genius way to support local musicians getting screwed by Spotify” (3/23/25)